David Crowley's razor-thin Wisconsin primary win sets up match against Trump pick

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — David Crowley's razor-thin primary win over a democratic socialist in swing state Wisconsin sets up a match against a congressman who has voted with President Donald Trump 100% of the time, a dream scenario for Democrats and a potential nightmare for Republicans.

Crowley overcame Francesca Hong in dramatic, narrow fashion in Tuesday's primary, stunning pundits and pollsters who had long placed Hong as the frontrunner. That means Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany must pivot to face a challenger from Milwaukee, the state's largest source of Democratic voters, known for working across the aisle with Republicans.

In his first comments Wednesday after his win, Crowley immediately linked Tiffany to Trump and called him a “MAGA extremist,” referring to Trump's Make America Great Again movement. Crowley promised to build a broad coalition to defeat Tiffany, who he accused of being in “lockstep” with Trump.

“The biggest difference between me and the congressman is I'm loyal to the people of Wisconsin, I'm not loyal to MAGA,” Crowley said.

It will be easier for Tiffany to pivot away from his ties with Trump and unpopular federal policies because he’s running for governor and not U.S. Senate, said former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, a Trump supporter.

“He’s got to be on point, on message every time that comes up and say ‘that’s not what’s on the ballot,’” Walker told The Associated Press. “What’s on the ballot is who’s going to be governor the next four years.”

Trump won Wisconsin in 2024 and 2016, but lost in 2020. All three elections were decided by less than a percentage point. Crowley’s win on Tuesday was even more narrow — less than half a point, further cementing Wisconsin’s well-earned place as one of the most purple states in the country.

Democrats have been savoring the shift in focus from their chaotic primary to the general election against Tiffany, an opponent they’ve long seen as vulnerable. They hope to capitalize on Trump’s low approval ratings to retain control of the governor’s office and flip both chambers of the Legislature to earn full control of Wisconsin state government for the first time since 2010.

Just as Crowley highlighted his Republican opponent's ties to Trump, Tiffany began the general election campaign with a message connecting Crowley to Hong,

“I’ve said all along that there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between these Democrat candidates,” Tiffany said in a statement Wednesday. “His record in Milwaukee County shows exactly what Wisconsin would get: mismanage the government, run up the bill, and raise your taxes to pay for it.”

Walker, who once held the same job Crowley now has as Milwaukee county executive, said Tiffany's messaging was on point: “High taxes, high costs, failing schools, make that the definition of David Crowley.”

Crowley has been the head of Wisconsin's largest county since 2020. Prior to that, he served just over three years in the state Assembly. In 2023, as county executive, Crowley helped spearhead a bipartisan deal in the Legislature that sent more state aid to Milwaukee and local communities.

Crowley dropped out of the governor’s race on July 8, saying he didn’t see a path to victory. He rejoined it on July 18, less than a month before Tuesday’s primary. With the backing of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, a fellow moderate who crisscrossed the state with him in the final week, Crowley pulled out the narrow win on the argument that he was the better matchup against Tiffany.

“Obviously Hong was the never-ending gift in terms of one gaffe after another , wasn’t really ready for prime time,” Walker said. “But Crowley didn’t get any real scrutiny either.”

Crowley planned to appear at a unity event later Wednesday with Democratic leaders including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin before launching a statewide tour.

Crowley, 40, became the first Black person to win a major party nomination for Wisconsin governor. Now he's vying to become the state's first Black governor.

“This historic moment is not lost on me. But I'm not even thinking about that because we've still got work to do,” Crowley said. “The job is not done. The job is not finished. My job is not to become the first, and if I do become the first, my job is to make sure I'm not the last."